Fate's Design
by Whytegriffin
Summary: What if Rapunzel had held her peace and not demanded an answer right away from Gothel? What if she planned to sneak out, but Eugene's coming overturned her plans - and Gothel's? An alternate version of the tower scene.


Rapunzel fell back into her dresser, not noticing how much noise she made. Of course. Of course, it was perfectly logical. Eugene told her - but Eugene had left her...maybe. He told her that the queen was ill and given a legendary magic flower to heal her before the princess was born. He had told Rapunzel that the lost princess had golden hair - and he had said something about her being the first blond haired girl he had ever seen this close to Corona. It had to be. The sunbursts in her paintings were exactly like the symbol of the kingdom, the draw that she felt toward the lanterns; she remembered. At least, she thought that she remembered, and if that was right, if mother - well, Gothel was not even her real mother! If she had lied about so many things, then had she been wrong about Eugene? Had those thugs taken him and hurt - or killed him?

"Rapunzel, what's going on up there?" Mother. No, how could she be her mother? That woman wasn't her mother! Part of her was so angry and frustrated that she wanted to burst out and confront her, the other part of her was temperate. She could go down, wash up for cold hazelnut soup, and act just like she used to - or least wise do her very best. Gothel went to bed quite early, and she was a heavy sleeper. Nothing could stop Rapunzel from sneaking out at night. She thought she could remember her way, at least to the Snuggly Duckling, and she didn't even need to make the noise of bringing her frying pan along. She didn't think that she really needed it any more.

"Are you alright?" She was getting closer. Rapunzel breathed out in a concentrated breath. Act normal - well, your heart is still broken, but pretend to act as normal as you can.

"Rapunzel?" Gothel repeated her name as she poked her head through the curtains. Rapunzel looked up, trying to look like she had been startled out of a stupor.

"Yes, mother?" The word was suddenly sower in her mouth, but she kept her peace. She had to. What if Eugene was wounded and needed help? She could find him. She could save him.

"Rapunzel, what happened?"

"I was...I - I don't know, mother." She stammered quietly as she straightened out the stool. She reached for her hairbrush which had fallen on the floor. "I'm...alright. It never happened, right, mother? Everything will be how it was now?"

"Just like it was, dear." Gothel crooned as she kissed Rapunzel's hair. Rapunzel winced while mother couldn't see her. Of course. Her hair. That was the one and only reason that she was here! If she could cut it off, then mother wouldn't want her anymore - a thought that scared her to death and at the same time emboldened her. But what about Eugene? She couldn't forget that he could be injured - even dying. No, she had to keep her hair, just in case. She sighed shakily and let go of Gothel with a faint smile. "Now clean up this little mess." She smiled, and at last Rapunzel saw just how cruel her sweetest smile was. "I'll just have dinner waiting for us."

"Yes, mother." Rapunzel smiled. Gothel kissed her hair again and swayed out of the doorway, closing the curtains behind her. Rapunzel bit her tongue, keeping a shaky breath quiet while she nervously picked the rest of her things off of the floor. Had mother suspected her of anything just now? Rapunzel couldn't tell for sure, but she didn't think so. She seemed content to have the magic hair where she wanted it, it didn't seem matter to her that the girl's heart was broken or that she was the one whose lies had broken it. Pascal pattered up beside her, confident that Gothel was down the stairs by that time. She smiled and winked at her little chameleon friend. He pointed his tail silently toward the window and Rapunzel nodded with a finger over her lips. She didn't dare discuss her plan with Pascal. Gothel might hear it and put an end to it - but how would she stop Rapunzel? It wasn't as if she could chain her to the wall! Whatever was going to happen, though, Rapunzel knew that she had better hurry before Gothel got suspicious! She needed to pretend that she had forgotten Eugene, like he had never existed. How could she ever forget Eugene?!_ Still. Still, Rapunzel. You have to calm down or this isn't going to work. _She told herself. Mother was still busy downstairs, she probably didn't suspect anything yet. Rapunzel took a deep breath and stepped out of her room, creeping down the stairs softly, her head a little bowed.

"All cleaned up, dear?" Gothel asked, not even looking up. Rapunzel first nodded and then realized that 'mother' wasn't paying her any attention at the moment.

"Yes, mother." She replied, trying to smile. "Ca-"

"Would you set the table, dear?"

"Yes, mother." Rapunzel replied meekly, forcing herself to smile happily and not submissively. She turned to the table and saw the basket of flowers still sitting on it and picked it up. "What do you want me to do with these?" She asked carelessly. Her heart was pounding. Where was Eugene? Mother seemed far, far too placid to be worried about him coming back. What had she done to him?

"Oh, just toss them out the window." She said, waving her hand carelessly in that direction. Rapunzel swallowed hard as she turned her back on Gothel. It seemed like the dumbest thing that she could have done - but why would mother suspect? She touched the dried, withered petals with her finger tips. Of course. They had stayed fresh and bright all through the day because of her hair. Now that they were on their own...Rapunzel wondered what would happen to mother if she suddenly lost all of her hair. Would it be the same thing? She turned the basket upside down and watched as the flowers plummeted to the earth, lifeless and crumpled in on themselves. Eugene, where are you? Rapunzel put the basket in its place and took out bowls and spoons. Hazelnut soup must be mother's favorite, because Rapunzel mostly ate it to be polite. Why had she never realized how much Gothel pushed her to her bidding before? She smiled again as she turned around.

"Let's just pretend its still my birthday!" She suggested, dancing over and handing her mother the bowls. Gothel smiled obligingly. She believed her. Rapunzel brought the bowls to the table and suddenly felt her stomach twisting into knots again. What was wrong? Something was desperately wrong and she couldn't see it. Should she ask about Eugene? Would that be suspicious if mother said to just forget him? What should she do? She just wanted to get out, to run to the window and slide down on her hair before mother could stop her. Mother would stop her like she always had. She just wanted to ask Pascal for his opinion, but she didn't dare.

"You seem awfully quiet, dear." Gothel said, seating herself across from Rapunzel. Rapunzel thought that she heard something when Gothel sat down; a heavy sound that she couldn't place. A shudder went down her spine. Something was wrong.

"I'm sorry, mother." She whispered, looking down and playing with the soup. "I was - just trying to remember what I usually do on my birthday. The last two days have been so...confusing."

"Yes, dear, I'm sure they have been. All of those two-faced people in the village, that horrible Flynn Rider, and when you were chased by his companions!"

"It was frightening." Rapunzel agreed, forcing herself to shudder at the memory. She felt she could allow a tear to lids down her cheek. "I thought that he liked me." She whispered, her voice bland with defeat while inside her heart raged with a hotter fire. What had happened to him?

"I know, dear."

"I never want to see him again." She lied. Was it a lie, or was it a play? The only thing she could think of was Eugene, and it made concentrating all the harder.

"Oh I don't think you'll have to." Gothel smiled corrosively. Rapunzel had been looking up through her hair and she was glad, because otherwise she couldn't have turned away.

"Good." Rapunzel breathed. "I think I want to paint when we're finished with dinner."

"But I thought you wanted -"

"I think I need to paint, mother. Is that alright? I can - I can stay down with you if you like."

"No, dear, that's fine. After having so many people around you I'm sure that you need your privacy."

"Thank you, mother. The soup is delicious."

"Anything for you, flower." Gothel smiled condescendingly. Rapunzel smiled back with her wide, innocent eyes. She hoped that Gothel couldn't see the loathing, and the anger and the fear that were in her heart. Rapunzel heard the sound again and felt her heart leap into her throat. Where had she heard that sound before? She knew that sound. It was...the Snuggling Duckling, when the guards had come in with those two brothers. They had chains on their arm - Rapunzel's heart froze as she continued to eat the soup with a depressed smile. Could this dinner ever be over? Could this day be over? "Are you sure you're alright?" Mother asked again. Rapunzel tried to look up with tears in her eyes. How was she going to get mother to believe her? She was suspicious, with good reason, but if she had just stuck successfully to her plan and acted like it was her birthday, what would she do next?

"Yes, mother. Mother, I changed my mind, I don't want to be selfish. You're spending your whole day here for me, what would you like to do?"

"Well, it is your birthday, dear." Gothel smiled back. "Aren't you happy that you got to see your stars? Or were they floating lights?"

"I should have stayed here." Rapunzel gasped, knowing that was exactly what mother would want. Gothel rose and came to her side, like Rapunzel knew she would. If she were smart, if she were clever it might still happen. She could find Eugene and undo whatever mother had done to him. She could be free.

"It's alright, flower." She whispered. Rapunzel groaned within herself and forced herself not to shy away from that touch. "I understand."Suddenly Rapunzel's ears perked to a sound, recently familiar, but this sound she trusted. Max. Unfortunately mother heard it too. She stiffened behind Rapunzel and straightened up. Oh no. It couldn't just be Max. He would have Eugene with him - he had to have Eugene with him! And he would climb the tower! Not that she could think of anything she wanted more, but mother. Mother was behind her, silent and dark and horrible; she could feel the hatred welling out of her and because all thoughts pass through our heads before a breath, Rapunzel had no time to react before Gothel tore her out of the chair with her fingernails dug into the base of her skull. She cut off Rapunzel's shocked scream with one hand and threw her to the floor. Through a daze she heard Eugene call her name before suddenly the world turned black.

When she opened her eyes she screamed. Eugene was on the floor across from her and mother was standing over him holding Rapunzel's choice weapon. There was blood on the side and lip.

"Awake already, dear?" She crooned, setting the frying pan aside and shifting her cape. Why had she put her cape on? "Good." She kicked Eugene enough to wake him. Rapunzel saw that Gothel had cut the drapes and used them to tie Eugene's arms behind his back. The chains were clinking on her own wrists.

"Wretch!" Gothel spat. "You've been waiting for him, haven't you? You knew that he would come for you!"

"No! I - I didn't know he would! I thought you had injured him and left him to die!"

"Well, the idea has merit," Gothel drawled as if giving Rapunzel credit for thinking, "but I would have just killed him right away, not wasted my time or risking everything by injuring him. Don't be foolish. And now look at this. All of this work, all of these years, and for nothing. I was ready to keep you here by any means, necessary." She continued and then added with a deep sigh, "I'd hoped your desire to leave wouldn't be strong enough for me to use these," she picked up the length of chain and yanked it to make Rapunzel jump. "But I was afraid that I would be forced to chain you up, dear, now that you'd seen the lanterns."

"Now that she knows who she is?" Eugene asked suddenly. Rapunzel searched his face. It didn't look quite right. He was still dazed and he looked sick. Gothel kicked his gut and he groaned, but he wasn't done yet. "You can't risk losing her, can you, Gothel?" He demanded hotly.

"Why would you use that name? Where did you hear it?" She demanded coldly. Eugene shook his head, smiling slightly because he had shocked the old woman.

"I always thought that you were a myth. I thought the king and queen were crazy when they said that you were the one who had stolen their child - I mean, I would have believed them more if they said it was the boogie man. Four hundred years... I guess they were right."

"Of course they were. As you are soon to find out, I am not a myth."

"Yeah, I think I've already got that sorted out." he muttered, tilting his head and then nodding toward his bonds. "You're the one who tried to cut Rapunzel's hair and 'take it for yourself' aren't you?"

"Of course I am. For such a looker you aren't very smart, Flynn Rider. And do you know how I kept my youth all of these years?"

"Another legend, of course." Eugene gasped, rolling his eyes like he really didn't care. "Why did you kidnap the princess?"

"They stole my flower to save their queen. I merely returned the favor."

"Soooo...the sun specifically sought you out and gave you the flower?"

"Of course not, fool!"

"Then it's not exactly yours, Gothel."

"An admonition coming from a thief? At least I didn't steal it."

"You stole Rapunzel."

"I took what was mine."

"She's a person!" Eugene gasped in rage. "Not a stupid flower!" There was something wrong with him. Even in this light - how long had she been out? There had to be a reason why he wasn't fighting back, even if he was tied up.

"Everyone has their opinions." Gothel muttered like he was an idiot. "But as much as I've enjoyed chatting with a deranged thief suffering from a concussion..." Gothel continued self importantly, "I really have better things to be doing. Come along, Rapunzel." She spoke to the princess as if she had been talking to a dog and she kicked the long chain toward a hole in the floor. A concussion? What was a concussion? Rapunzel had never heard that word before, although it couldn't be anything good. Could it kill him? She had been staring at him the whole time and she hadn't found a mark on him, but mother - Gothel - had been holding her frying pan. Rapunzel had never hurt him with it, but Gothel might, and Eugene had said something half joking about brain damage and frying pans when they were sitting by the campfire. Gothel was having an easier time moving her along than Rapunzel liked, but she wasn't concentrating on escape; she was worried about Eugene.

His thoughts were similar, but in reverse - although it would have been easier if it didn't hurt so much to think. Eugene saw that Gothel wasn't paying attention to him, took the opportunity and started to get up. Rapunzel saw him standing up. He was shaky and his head kept swaying back and forth, but Rapunzel didn't think that Gothel had seen him yet. Just a little more. A little bit more... Eugene groaned, accidentally. The sound escaped his lips before he knew it was there. He didn't have time - but his head was still swimming in confusion. He didn't realize right away what needed to be done. Gothel had hit him harder then Rapunzel ever had. He didn't realize that there was a shadow coming behind him. He didn't hear the muttered curse. He couldn't hear Rapunzel gasp because she was suddenly too afraid to let out a scream. He just suddenly felt a new pain burn in his side and tear up through his chest. Before Rapunzel could think to warn Eugene, Gothel had driven a silver dagger into his body all the up way to the hilt. Rapunzel and Eugene both gasped as if the wind had been knocked out of them while Gothel smiled cruelly, tugging the knife back and forth and watching Eugene writhe in pain, unable to fall away from the blade and unable to reach it with his hands tied behind his back.  
"Pull it out! Just pull it out of him!"

Rapunzel begged. Gothel sniffed contemptuously and finally ripped the dagger out, leaving Eugene to crumble to the floor, trembling in pain. She looked the blade up and down for a few seconds, smiling at Rapunzel.

"Now look what you've done, Rapunzel!" she mockingly scolded. Eugene groaned again, trying to push himself up. "No you don't!" Gothel hissed, dropping down suddenly and driving her dagger into Eugene's back, forcing him back to the floor. He tried to roll away, falling on his back and trying instinctively to cover his body with his knees; but that didn't stop Gothel. She chuckled at him, his amateur, useless defense of his vitals and dug her hand into the hole in his back. "Like the feeling of death, thief? You stole my flower, now you get a taste of it!" She growled, turning him over and assailing him still. She stabbed once more, twice more, again, again... would she ever stop? Rapunzel screamed in horror and he cried out in pain, his breath sobbing every time that Gothel withdrew the knife, a twisted smile playing across her face gleefully with every thrust.

"Stop it! Please! Oh please stop!" Rapunzel sobbed. Neither Rapunzel nor Pascal could count how many more times Gothel stabbed Eugene before she was finally satisfied. Rapunzel was on the ground, trying to reach him despite her chains, but her hands were bound behind her and they could not reach him.

"Oh don't worry, dear." Gothel drawled, using his sleeve - it was the only part of his shirt that wasn't soaked in blood - to wipe the blood off of her hands and knife. "Our secret will die with him." Eugene trembled, his eyes were only half open and shot with agony. Rapunzel struggled in vain to go to his side. Blood was spurting joyfully out of more than a dozen holes that now riddled his doublet and his body underneath it. Still, he sought her eyes to beg her forgiveness. He had come to save her, to carry her away this time. He had never imagined he would be bleeding to death on her floor in front of her.

"You've been alive for four centuries! Isn't that enough?" Rapunzel sobbed.

"What?"

"Eugene told me the legends, the tales that you were afraid to. The evil shadow that adults frighten children with, only it was you all along. Can you imagine how different all this would have been if you had shared the sun's gift for all of that time instead of keeping it to yourself?"

"Shared? Everyone who searched it out tried to steal it from me."

"And you did this to them?" She shrieked, unable to control her voice.

"Of course, flower. Why do you think that Mr. Rider isn't quite dead yet? I consider my knowledge of finer killing to be one of my many achievements over the years. I let them suffer and think about what they've done."

"You didn't have to hide it." Rapunzel snapped. Time. She needed time in the tower. She needed to heal Eugene, she had to save him. She finally caught her chameleon's eye and motioned for him to move her hair to Eugene. She doubted that she could sing fast enough to save him before Gothel stopped her, but she had to try.

"Didn't I?" Gothel defended herself. "What about you? Look what happened when someone found you."

"I made him take me." Rapunzel cried out, struggling to her knees as Eugene fought painfully for every breath. "I made him take me to see the lanterns. Just let me heal him, let him go."

"LET HIM GO? Do you know why I did this to him?"  
"Because you're cruel and wretched."

"Oh yes, yes, that is all you see! I can't have him rousing the entire kingdom and chasing after us! He has to die, and our secret with him, foolish child!"

"What about the Stabbington brothers, mother? They know my secret too, don't they - and you told them!"

"Why would you say that?"

"Because Eugene only knew that it could heal people. Only you knew that my hair could keep someone young and healthy forever, and that's exactly what they said, mother."

"Different."

"Yes, worse! I believed you even though Eugene would never betray me! You told them about me so you could use me - again! You used them, you used...you used Eugene."

"Yes, and you still think he likes you, don't you? Well how do you know that he didn't just come back looking for the crown?"

"Because I gave it to him. I gave it to him and he pushed it away, because it doesn't matter to him anymore."

"Doesn't it? And what does matter to him now? You, I suppose?" Rapunzel looked at Eugene and she knew the answer beyond a doubt. His eyes burned with a fire of pain and yet of rage because he couldn't push himself any further forward. He couldn't save her - but he had still come back for her.

"Yes." She whispered. "I matter to him. I finally actually matter to someone."

"Hmph!" Gothel scoffed.

"You raised her." Eugene gasped. "Maybe ...she should matter..."

"You of all people? You who grew up unloved and unwanted, cast off into some orphanage? Yes, I heard you talking the other night. You should know that just because someone raises children doesn't mean that they have to love them." She emphasized those last words with such disdain that it made Rapunzel shudder. "And just how do you think that twenty of years taken up by a brat make so much difference to me?"  
"Doesn't she mean... anything to you?" He gasped again. Rapunzel could hear the pain mounting in his voice. As much as she wanted to hear his voice she wished that he would stop. She knew that it was killing him faster.

"The hair meant that I could stay young." Gothel explained impatiently. "Other than that I had to placate her, didn't I? Make her think that she was loved and wanted-"

"You are, Rapunzel." Eugene wheezed, forcing his face up to see hers.

"She is nothing." Gothel sneered. Rapunzel sank down with the words stabbing her like a knife and Eugene moaned, trying to pull himself toward her again. Rapunzel wasn't looking at him, but she could see the pool of dark blood edging closer and closer to her. "And what does she mean to you, Flynn Rider?"

"Eugene." Rapunzel snapped angrily at her. "His name is Eugene Fitzherbert. Eugene showed me that there is life and kindness beyond your walls, even if it isn't shared by everyone. He showed me the lanterns and he told me what they are, because you were always too afraid to admit what they are, mother."

"B..but you... helped me see." He sighed, no longer moving; no longer able to move.

"Well then I'll just stop you from seeing, Eugene Fitzherbert."

"No! Leave him alone!" Rapunzel screamed. "Eugene, don't let her touch you!" But Eugene couldn't move. He couldn't even trip her, let alone stop her. Pascal charged forward, grabbing Gothel's dress in his mouth and trying to drag her back away. Gothel grunted and kicked him back to the wardrobe. "Mother!" Rapunzel shouted. "Mother, if you stop, if you let me save Eugene, I will go away with you." Gothel stopped with her knife inches from his heart and turned to the stolen princess.

"What?"

"I will never fight you, mother, or ever try to get away. Just let me heal him, and you can have my hair forever, just like it was - mother, I promise. I promise that it'll be just like you want. Just let me heal him." Gothel looked from one to the other, Eugene lying in his blood facing Rapunzel, his face twisted in agony and his lips forming the word 'no' while Rapunzel stared her down, determined to have her way. She never broke a promise.

"Fine." She said at last. She knelt down beside Eugene and none too carefully cut his arms loose. They immediately went to cover his tattered body, but his arms pressed weakly and did nothing to stop the blood loss. Still, Gothel didn't notice that her dagger wasn't where she had left it on the floor. She unchained Rapunzel's hands and unlatched the lock from the wall. "Help me push him to the bannister, Rapunzel." She demanded icily. Rapunzel gasped and looked pleadingly at Gothel who stood still as stone and glowered at her. The princess at last nodded, rushing to Eugene's side before Gothel could and wrapped her arms gently about his waist while Gothel grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him to the stairs. His head dropped on his chest and his eyes closed tightly; he couldn't quite cut off the low moans that escaped his lips. He opened his eyes just a bit, looking at Rapunzel, trying to tell her something, but she didn't quite seem to get it. That was alright. Gothel dropped him to wrap the chain around the post and locked it before handing Rapunzel the manacles. "Just in case he gets any ideas about following us." She stared at Gothel in shock.

"Mother, I -"

"Lock him up or I'll slit his throat right now." She threatened under her breath. Rapunzel obeyed, moving his hand away from his stomach gently and locking his wrist tight. Had she seen a silver glint as she did so? Eugene was clenching his teeth and leaning gratefully against the banister. He was so pale and there was blood smeared across his cheek, running out of the corners of his mouth. "Get on with it so we can go." She muttered, kicking him in the side as she turned and walked away. Eugene coughed weakly with his face still scrunched down tight in a grimace of pain. Rapunzel wrapped her arms around his shoulders and brought her hair up to cover his wounds before she started to sing.

"No, Rapunzel." His agonized whisper barely touched her ears, and though she guessed that he was trying to push her hair away he wasn't able to lift his arm. "No. I can't ...let you do this."

"I can't let you die, Eugene. I won't."

"If you do this, you'll die. Everything ...about you, every light ...in your life - sh...she's going to ta...take it away from you ...until there's nothing-"

"You will be, Eugene. I'll always know that your out there somewhere, and that you love me."

"Rapu-"

"Shhhhh." She said in a whisper, brushing his unruly hair out of his eyes, "It's gonna be alright." Eugene sighed wearily and smiled. It was going to be alright, even though she didn't know how it would be. She wouldn't go along with what he knew that he had to do, ever.

"Rapunzel?" He groaned. He was so quiet now that she noticed him only because his right hand was trembling through her hair as he tried to raise it. Rapunzel smiled back softly, but he could read the pain in her eyes. She lifted his hand gently, letting him guide it through her hair and leaned down close to his face. She didn't care if she would get blood on her face from kissing him. This was it. Eugene's breath rattled out of him in a sigh as Rapunzel's face came close to his. This was his only chance, the very last of his strength. If this killed him, it was worth it. Eugene threw himself forward. Rapunzel gasped. Gothel screamed. The thief slashed Gothel's knife through Rapunzel's hair, and a moment later the piles and piles of golden hair started turning dark. Gothel was wailing and cursing, trying to gather what was still gold. Rapunzel shrieked in horror, catching Eugene as he fell back completely limp with the knife clanking to the floor.

"No! No, Eugene!" She cried. He didn't respond.

"What have you done?! Gothel howled like a banshee. "What have you done? No!" She stumbled to the mirror to see her shriveled, aging reflection and threw the mirror to the ground, shattering it into a thousand pieces. The knife? Where was the knife? She was going to make them both pay. That thief took the knife. Gothel stumbled blindly toward the couple as her age began to get the best of her. Normally she could keep calm and age more slowly, but now? She heard Rapunzel gasp and guessed that she must be close, but she was used to youth and perfect health. She couldn't tell where she was going. Suddenly she tripped - she would never know that her lifeline, Rapunzel's hair, was her final downfall - and she plummeted over the window sill, screaming out as she fell. She didn't hear or care about Rapunzel.

Rapunzel didn't see Gothel plummet over the edge. She barely heard her scream. She was holding Eugene as close to her as she could, holding her ear to his mouth as he whispered. She'd tried, she had sung half of the flower's song and there wasn't the tiniest spark of light. Eugene was almost gone. When she saw his lips moving and didn't hear a sound she had leaned down close, praying that he didn't die before she could hear him. His fingers twitched in her hair as he tried to stroke it, and a slight cough ejected more blood onto his lips before he could whisper.

"You... were my..new dream." He finally choked out. He didn't know how terrible he sounded, how much pain his slightest breath betrayed. Rapunzel raised her head and looked into his eyes with such a broad, bright smile that you wouldn't know how her heart was breaking. Because he had loved her. He really loved her. She mattered to this Eugene Fitzherbert. If she could have had one thing, one thing in this life, it would have been to be called Rapunzel Fitzherbert. No more. Her new dream could never happen.

"And you were mine." She whispered back, and her voice sounded like a song. His mouth jutted up into a smile. Not the sassy, flirting smile like the first time she had seen him, but the genuine heart filled one from the boat and the night with the lanterns. Just as suddenly his smile faded, his breath sighed out of him like the end of a summer storm. Rapunzel clasped his hand tighter and searched his face, begging him to still be there. But there was not the slightest flutter of an eyelash, nor the slightest sound of his breath in the still air.

"You were mine." She breathed again, wishing that he could hear her voice, but only his still, quite face greeted her eyes. "Eugene..." Rapunzel whispered, gathering him into her arms, cradling his head under hers and swaying back and forth, sobbing inconsolably.

_Heal what has been hurt_ her heart screamed the words in pain. Why were they so useless? Because they had been so self serving for so long._ Change the Fate's design._ Or her mother's. If only she could have realized sooner who she really was. _Save what has been lost..._ Oh God, please! Please bring Eugene back to me! _Bring back what once was mi...What once was mine. _Even her heart failed for words. Her sobs started hiccuping in her throat though she didn't notice or care. She held his still face inches from hers as she cleaned the blood from it. Her tears spattered unguarded over his pale cheeks and Rapunzel kissed his forehead once softly before her shaking sobs overtook her again and she buried her face in his chest, wishing that his arms could rise and enfold her instead of lying cold and useless beside him.

Rapunzel thought of how he had helped her draw the Corona sun on the village streets, of how those hands had held the flowers out to her as she set them on Corona's many spired reflection on the lake; of the lanterns that he bought for her. All of that was still in her heart, but it almost seemed as if it had never happened. For just a moment she thought that she heard a light, silvery sound just to her right, but she didn't care. What help would that be for her? She felt the smooth leather of his vest and remembered how exact the description of Flynnigan Rider had been and how Eugene had copied it as well as he could. All of that was gone now, all of it. Pascal ran and bumped into her leg but she didn't look up. He raced up her arm and kept squeaking in her ear.

"Please, Pascal, just - just go away...just leave me alone." She whispered, her face still nestled into Eugene's chest. Her fingers worked through his thick dark hair and kept clasping and unclasping like she was grasping at something. What would she do? Where she should go was obvious, but - what was there anymore? So she was a princess, so what? So she would rule a kingdom, she would love her kingdom, but she needed someone with her, something with a strength that covered her weakness, someone with weakness that her strength would guard.

"What if I can't follow my new dream, Eugene?" She whispered to him, knowing that he couldn't hear her. "What if I've lost it?" She gasped. "What do I do then? How can I dream?" Eugene didn't answer. Pascal had given up trying to get her attention and was sitting on her shoulder, trilling. If he didn't watch it, he was going to get smacked into the wall twice in one day. "Pascal, please not now." She begged, taking in a shaky breath. What was with her little friend just now? Usually he was so understanding! Why couldn't he just leave her alone? She just wanted to be left alone.

"One dream, Eugene Fitzherbert. One that I know I can never have. That when I open my eyes, you'll be smiling up at me. That's my new dream." She choked. Rapunzel thought that she felt a hand come and cover her shoulder. Suddenly another wrapped around her waist. Was - was she dreaming? Was she dead?

"Just open your eyes, Rapunzel." She thought she heard his voice smile at her. She was dreaming. There was no way that was really his voice, but then it spoke again. "I can still be your new dream." Rapunzel's eyes flashed open and her head popped up. Eugene was...was...smiling at her! "Rapunzel." He whispered tenderly as if realizing just now how beautiful she was to him.

"Eugene?" She gasped.

"I forgot to tell you that I've really got a thing for brunettes."

"Eugene!" She cried, tightening her grip on him as he sat them both up, sobbing with joy and making herself realize and believe this was Eugene. Despite everything he was alive in her arms! In spite of all the pain and trial - in spite of the fact that he had died...

"What happened?" She gasped, leaning back a little and running her hand over his chest where there had been so many terrible gouges.

"You did."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I...I was dead. I know I was dead, and there was a voice...and then I could hear your voice. You were crying and singing. Then there was a light. I followed it, I let it guide me, and when I opened my eyes you were still crying. I felt so terrible-"

"Why?"

"Because I left you."

"That wasn't your choice."

"Still, I -"

"You came back." She whispered, her tears of sorrow suddenly completely transformed.

"You came back, Eugene. That's all that matters." He smiled at her and brushed his fingers through her hair, this time able to lift his own hand. Her eyes smiled back at him and they gazed at each other in the wonder of the moment. She was free, and she was a princess, but before any of that there was the two of them. Eugene Fitzherbert finally had someone whom he loved that loved him.

"Rapunz-mmmph!" He started as she jumped forward and kissed him suddenly. He could tell that she had never kissed anyone before, but he really really didn't care. He slid his hand down and cradled her head, angling his just slightly and breathing in her air. She was beautiful. She was pure. Rapunzel. He heard a tiny growl and suddenly Rapunzel jumped back, looking at her shoulder, or Pascal perched on her shoulder to be more exact. "I guess he's right." Eugene sighed. "I had better get you back."

"Back where?"

"Home, princess. That was part of the deal, wasn't it?" He winked.


End file.
